Olivier Award-winning original star of Billy Elliot The Musical, Liam Mower, will pull on his ballet shoes at the Victoria Palace once more when he returns to the show for one night only on 28 September. Liam’s far too grown up to play Young Billy now. Instead he’ll play Older Billy. Why? Well, because on that night Billy Elliot is being screened live to cinemas, so you can see the stage adaptation of the film on the big screen.

Also returning to a show that helped to make her famous is Kerry Ellis, who’ll be greening up once more to play Elphaba in Wicked from 4 August. Ellis’ happy return comes as current Wicked Witch Willemijn Verkaik has had to withdraw from the production to have surgery.

Musical theatre star Liam Tamne, who was a hit on BBC talent show The Voice UK but didn’t quite win it, is coming home to the West End. He’s joining the cast of the show with the most iconic mask in theatre history, The Phantom of the Opera. Tamne fans need not fret, he won’t be covering half his face in the name of entertainment, he’ll be playing Raoul from 1 September.

After the World Cup, we’re in the heart of football’s transfer season, so it’s only fitting we have some transfer news of our own:

Urinetown, the tale of a world where public conveniences are heavily policed that was flooded with good reviews when it ran at the St James Theatre, is moving to the Apollo Theatre in September. I’m flushed with excitement.

This is a Guest Post by Official London Theatre, the premier website for London theatre. With the latest news, fantastic features, comprehensive listings and incredible offers it is your one-stop shop for everything about the theatre capital of the world.

It’s not just new shows that are hogging the limelight however, with the revival of Stephen Sondheim’s Merrily We Roll Along also doing well with the voters, with seven nominations to its name. Nominees for the coveted BBC Radio 2 Audience Award include West End hits Les Misérables, Matilda the Musical, The Phantom of the Opera and Wicked.

Among the notable names up for individual gongs are Jude Law for his role as Henry V and Judi Dench as Alice in Peter and Alice, both at the Noel Coward Theatre. Renowned baritone Plácido Domingo also gains a nomination for his portrayal of the title character in Verdi’s Nabucco at the Royal Opera House.

The awards, which are run by the Society of London Theatre, recognise the best productions and performances of theatre shows, opera and dance over the previous year. This year’s glitzy awards gala will take place on 13 April at the Royal Opera House.

Lesley Manville was on hand at the Critics’ Circle Awards to collect the Best Actress Award for her performance in Ghosts. Other winners included performers Rory Kinnear and Lenny Henry, and the production Chimerica, which won three awards.

Speaking of awards, the Olivier Awards with MasterCard has launched its BBC Radio 2 Audience Award. This is the only Olivier Award that you, the theatregoing public, has complete control over. You vote for your favourite long-running show and the one with the most votes wins. If you vote, you go into a prize draw to win a pair of tickets to each of the shows that make the Audience Award shortlist to be revealed on 10 March along with the rest of the Olivier Award nominees. Vote at the Olivier Awards website.

Back to the Future, Bakersfield Mist and Fatal Attraction

What have I missed? Only the small news that Back To The Future is to be made into a musical and brought to the West End in 2015. And that Kathleen Turner’s coming back to London in new show Bakersfield Mist in May. And Sex And The City’s Kristin Davis – who played Charlotte in the hit show – has joined the cast of Fatal Attraction. Not much then!

]]>http://blog.visitlondon.com/2014/02/london-theatre-news-show-extensions-award-winners-back-to-the-future-kathleen-turner-kristin-davis/feed/0London Theatre News: Billy Elliot, Thriller, A Pulitzer Prize for Drama and London Cast Newshttp://blog.visitlondon.com/2013/04/london-theatre-news-billy-elliot-thriller-pulitzer-prizes-and-cast-news/
http://blog.visitlondon.com/2013/04/london-theatre-news-billy-elliot-thriller-pulitzer-prizes-and-cast-news/#commentsThu, 18 Apr 2013 10:00:02 +0000http://blog.visitlondon.com/?p=32677Billy Elliot welcomed its four millionth audience member to the Victoria Palace Theatre this week. Sharon Hick, who watched the show with her friend Jane Horsewood and daughters Amy and Meagan Horsewood, celebrated on the stage with cast members Killian Donnelly and Deka Walmsley. The lucky theatregoers were presented with a weekend stay in London and goody bags for the children before being taken backstage to meet the cast.

Hick said, “Jane and I had been discussing taking Amy and Meagan to see their first West End show, and we thought Billy Elliot would be perfect. It is a real testimony to how magical this show is that so many people have been through the doors to see it.”

Elsewhere in the West End, Thriller – Live has been celebrating its success with a booking extension: you can now see the musical based on the songs of Michael Jackson at the Lyric Theatre until March 2014.

Ahead of the forthcoming Olivier Awards, there’s been another win for London theatre. Ayad Akhtar’s Disgraced, which opens at the Bush Theatre next month, has been awarded the Pulitzer Prize for Drama. Akhtar’s first ever stage play, Disgraced charts the story of a successful corporate lawyer who is about to land the promotion of his life. But, as the play progresses, it’s clear that this success has come at a price. Talking about his win, Akhtar said, “It’s tough to put it into words what an honour and privilege it is to receive this award. I think I might be dreaming.”

Finally, two transfers have been announced this week. The Two’s Company production of London Wall, a play about an office manager and his unsolicited advances towards his new teenage typist transfers to the St James Theatre from 7 May. And fast-paced new comedy The Play That Goes Wrong transfers to the Trafalgar Studios from 30 April. It’s presented by Mischief Theatre, a company specialising in comedy writing.

London Theatre Cast News

Harriet Thorpe returns to Wicked next week to step into the role of Madame Morrible after Louise Plowright had to leave the show due to ill health. Thorpe takes on the role from 22 April to 16 November

]]>http://blog.visitlondon.com/2013/04/london-theatre-news-billy-elliot-thriller-pulitzer-prizes-and-cast-news/feed/0London Theatre News: Mamma Mia; Derren Brown; Matthew Morrison and Idina Menzelhttp://blog.visitlondon.com/2013/04/london-theatre-news-mamma-mia-derren-brown-matthew-morrison-and-idina-menzel/
http://blog.visitlondon.com/2013/04/london-theatre-news-mamma-mia-derren-brown-matthew-morrison-and-idina-menzel/#commentsThu, 11 Apr 2013 09:30:24 +0000http://blog.visitlondon.com/?p=32539Firstly, happy 14th birthday to Mamma Mia! The show has celebrated another successful year by extending their booking period to 5 April 2014. If you haven’t seen this musical yet, you really must: it’s such a fantastic feel-good show and has been seen by more than 50 million people in 37 productions worldwide.

This week, there’s news of another extension: My Perfect Mind is actor Edward Petherbridge’s tale about suffering a stroke, and will now run at the Young Vic until 4 May. The Told By An Idiot show features Petherbridge playing himself and Paul Hunter playing all the other characters. The play was inspired by Petherbridge who suffered a stroke as he was rehearsing to play King Lear. At the start of his recovery, he could hardly move his thumb and index finger together, but he could still remember every word of Shakespeare’s complex role.

Derren Brown fans will be pleased to hear the illusionist is returning to the West End in June, bringing a new one-man show called Infamous to the Palace Theatre. Infamous is described as one of Brown’s most personal works and sees the master of mind control reunite with his close collaborator, actor, director and magician Andy Nyman.

More Oliviers news this week: an influx of American stars are bringing a touch of US glamour to the Royal Albert Hall ceremony, with Broadway stars and Glee co-actors Matthew Morrison and Idina Menzel both performing solo. Other stars whose attendance is confirmed include Kim Cattrall, Daniel Radcliffe, Damian Lewis, Petula Clark, Will Young and Heather Headley.

]]>http://blog.visitlondon.com/2013/04/london-theatre-news-mamma-mia-derren-brown-matthew-morrison-and-idina-menzel/feed/0London Theatre News: Olivier Awards, Wicked, Young Vic, Soho Theatre, Rutherford & Sonhttp://blog.visitlondon.com/2013/04/london-theatre-news-olivier-awards-wicked-young-vic-soho-theatre-rutherford-son/
http://blog.visitlondon.com/2013/04/london-theatre-news-olivier-awards-wicked-young-vic-soho-theatre-rutherford-son/#commentsThu, 04 Apr 2013 10:00:21 +0000http://blog.visitlondon.com/?p=32457Firstly, congratulations to Wicked, which welcomed its 5 millionth audience member last week. Stewart Lyons, who was watching the matinee on 30 March with his partner Cristina Kane, was the lucky, unexpecting theatregoer to make Wicked history. Stewart, from Kirkcaldy in Fife, said it felt “fantastic”, saying, “We loved the show and even though it is our first visit to Wicked, it won’t be our last.”

Simon Stephens’ adaptation is also in the running for Best Actor for Luke Treadaway, Nicola Walker for Best Supporting Actress, as well as its creative team, with nominations for director Marianne Elliott, sound designer Ian Dickinson, lighting designer Paule Constable and set designers Bunny Christie and Finn Ross.

Two other productions scoring highly in the nominations are Top Hat and The Bodyguard with seven and four nominations each. Both have received nods in the coveted Best New Musical accolade alongside Loserville and Soul Sister. The lovely Tom Chambers, star of Top Hat, fights for the Best Actor in a Musical against six-time nominated Sweeney Todd star Michael Ball; Kiss Me, Kate’s Alex Bourne; and musical theatre newcomer and star of Cabaret, Will Young. For full details, go to the Official London Theatre website. The winners will be announced at a star-studded ceremony, hosted by double Olivier Award-winner Sheridan Smith and Downton Abbey’s Hugh Bonneville, on 28 April at the Royal Opera House.

The Young Vic has announced three new productions for their Maria theatre later this year. The venue’s smaller auditorium will host Trash Cuisine, a co-production with Belarus Free Theatre; The Secret Agent co-produced with theatre O; and new David Greig play The Events between May and November this year. The three shows are linked by dark themes of political violence and terror. As if in contrast, Fevered Sleep’s acclaimed show for 3 to 5-year-olds, Brilliant, returns to the venue from 3 to 13 July, with its dreamlike world made of light.

In addition, the Soho Theatre has news of two new dramas with an international flavour as part of its summer programme. Kathrine Kressmann Taylor’s classic pre-war drama Address Unknown will be performed in a new French-and-English version in June with Belgian theatremaker Valentijn Dhaenens’ look at the manipulative nature of rhetoric, Bigmouth, following in July. The new pieces join a spring/summer line-up that includes The Life And Sort Of Death Of Eric Argyle, Verity Bargate Award winner Pastoral, and tale of returning soldiers developed with former servicemen, Glory Dazed.

Finally, Northern Broadsides critically acclaimed production of Rutherford & Son will transfer to the St James Theatre this summer. Directed by Jonathan Miller, Rutherford & Son will play at the Victoria-based theatre from 4 to 29 June with the Northern Broadsides Artistic Director Barrie Rutter in the lead role of John Rutherford.

]]>http://blog.visitlondon.com/2013/04/london-theatre-news-olivier-awards-wicked-young-vic-soho-theatre-rutherford-son/feed/0London Theatre News: Shakespeare’s Globe Season, Rupert Goold, & St James Theatrehttp://blog.visitlondon.com/2013/02/london-theatre-news-shakespeares-globe-season-rupert-goold-st-james-theatre/
http://blog.visitlondon.com/2013/02/london-theatre-news-shakespeares-globe-season-rupert-goold-st-james-theatre/#commentsThu, 14 Feb 2013 15:00:42 +0000http://blog.visitlondon.com/?p=31817Firstly, two extensions for London theatre shows this week: Feast at the Young Vic is running for another week, until 2 March; while long-running musical Wicked at the Apollo Victoria is now booking until April 2014.

One of my favourite London theatres, Shakespeare’s Globe has announced details of its forthcoming season. In 2013, there’ll be appearances from Roger Allam as Prospero in The Tempest, alongside Colin Morgan (from Merlin) and Jessie Buckley (from I’d Do Anything). The Tempest plays alongside A Midsummer Night’s Dream and Macbeth; plus there’ll be a new musical Gabriel, a modern play called Blue Stockings and a new take on Euipides’ The Bacchae called The Lightning Child. Three of last year’s astonishing Globe To Globe plays return too: South Africa’s Venus & Adonis, a Georgian production of As You Like It and Belarus Free Theatre’s King Lear, along with Footsbarn’s Indian Tempest. Head to their website to find out more!

Congratulations to Rupert Goold, the acclaimed Artistic Director of the Headlong Theatre Company, who is going to replace Michael Attenborough as Artistic Director of the Almeida Theatre in August. Attenborough steps down after 11 years at the venue; Goold’s first production as leader will be in January 2014. Before that, you can catch the director’s handiwork in the world premiere of the new musical based on Bret Easton Ellis’ best-selling novel American Psycho at the venue in the autumn.

Following the successful Our Country’s Good at the St James Theatre, new play The Thrill Of Love opens next month. Running from 27 March to 4 May, The Thrill Of Love tells the story of Ruth Ellis, the last woman to be executed in the UK, after she is convicted of murdering her lover David Blakely, and features music by Billie Holiday. The show’s original cast (including Fate Castelow, Hilary Tones, Maya Wasovicz and Katie West) transfers with the production.

London Theatre Cast News:

Charlie Rowe, who stars as Peter Pan in Sky’s miniseries Neverland, joins Henry Goodman in the Old Vic’s production of The Winslow Boy, opening next month

Firstly: Wicked fans can rejoicify! The show has reached its 6th birthday today. One of my favourite West End shows, Wicked seems like such a fantastic fixture in the West End, I thought it might’ve been around for longer. If you haven’t seen this great musical yet, you should book now! Here’s to the next six yearsâ€¦

The second piece of exciting news is from the Gielgud Theatre, looking ahead to next year. From 15 February, Helen Mirren will be starring in Peter Morgan’s new play The Audience at the venue. The play examines one of the most fascinating meetings in British public life; the weekly discussion between the Queen and the Prime Minister. From Winston Churchill to David Cameron, The Audience imagines what might have been said in those pivotal meetings over the years, the confessions and questions from Prime Ministers, and the advice, suggestions and occasional teasing offered by the Queen. This will be Mirren’s second time playing the monarch; she won an Oscar, Golden Globe and a BAFTA for her portrayal of Elizabeth II in Morgan’s silver screen offering The Queen.

Finally, if you’re thinking ahead to Christmas, there’s an exciting-sounding new Punchdrunk show coming to East London’s Discover Children’s Story Centre from 29 November. Called The House Where Winter Lives, the show will transform the Stratford venue’s basement into a â€œmagical frozen forestâ€ for the delight of three to six year-olds.

Enter day 20 of our Christmas advent competition to win a night’s stay at a luxury hotel and tickets to see smash-hit musical Wicked in London.

Wicked has been a mainstay of London’s musical scene since 2006, and smashed the 2,000 performance milestone in July 2011. The award-winning musical tells the untold story of the witches of Oz and has entertained audiences across the world.

After the show, the lucky winners will stay at the four-star Flemings Mayfair Hotel, along with a full breakfast in the morning. Not a bad way to start the new year!

I’ve got three Christmassy announcements, the first from the Old Vic, which is reviving Michael Frayn’s hugely successful comedy Noises Off, directed by Lindsay Posner, over the festive period. Second, a new musical version of Swallows and Amazons will be produced by the National Theatre at the Vaudeville for Christmas; with music by Neil Hannon of the Divine Comedy. And children’s favourite, The Gruffalo will be bringing its terrible tusks and terrible claws to the Lyric for morning and afternoon performances from November to January.

And reaching even further into the crystal ball of theatrical future, Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre has announced its plans for 2012. It’ll stage A Midsummer Night’s Dream and contemporary musical Ragtime from May to September next year. Book before the end of April 2012, and you’ll get a special ticket price of £20.12 on all performances during the Games themselves (25 July to 12 August).